Friday, October 7, 2011

A hit-and-run crash led to bridge-jumping drama on the City Avenue Bridge in Philadelphia, according to police and witnesses at the scene.

Paramedics were called to the area late Thursday morning after witnesses said a woman driving a Mercury Mountaineer hit an Acura at Presidential Boulevard and then took off.

Hit-and-run victim Steve Iacona told NBCPhiladelphia he followed her, then physically tried to block her with his banged-up car.

Then, Iacona said, "I told her to get out of the car. I was on the phone with 9-1-1 at that point. She goes, 'Oh sorry,' grabs her bag and starts huffing it to the bridge and took a nice little swan dive."

Other witnesses said the woman jumped 70 feet down to the rail yard below.

It took firefighters about an hour to raise her to safety. Rescue crews used ropes and a body board to lift her.

Traffic was blocked for just over an hour during the rescue effort.

There's no word yet on the woman's condition or possible charges against her. Police said she is expected to survive.